1942: From New Year’s Eve 1941 into New Year’s Day 1942 a severe winter storm dumped heavy snowfall from southwestern Iowa through the northeastern corner of the state. Snowfall amounts of 10 to 20 inches were common from Page County to Black Hawk County. The highest accumulation was 19.8 inches of snow at Des Moines which remains the 24 hour snowfall record at that location. Other storm total snowfall amounts included 19.0 inches at Indianola, 15.5 inches at Jefferson, 14.5 inches at Rockwell City, 14.0 inches at Ames and Mount Ayr, and 13.2 inches at Waterloo. Most highways were blocked by the heavy snowfall and deep drifts and it was not until the 3rd that most of the principal arteries were opened to one way traffic.

This Day in National/World Weather History …

1 January 1934 → Heavy rain, which began on December 30, led to flooding in the Los Angeles Basin of California. Walls of water and debris up to ten feet high were noted in some canyon areas. Up to 16 inches of rain fell during the event, including more than 8 inches in downtown L.A.

1 January 1965 → A seven-day long snowstorm finally came to an end at Wolf Creek Pass, CO, setting the state’s single-storm snowfall record of 143 inches.

1 January 1970 → Australia’s most powerful tornado, of at least F4 strength, felled a million trees in Bulahdelah State Forest north of Sydney. Its 14 mile long path was up to a mile wide.

1 January 1993 → Twenty-seven points were scored in the first half of the 1993 Orange Bowl between Florida State and Nebraska. However, heavy rainfall throughout the second half forced both teams to be more conservative and only 14 points were scored. The rainfall was so heavy during the game that it has been called the Monsoon Bowl ever since.